Sudha Murty Calls For Cervical Cancer Vaccination, Domestic Tourism In Maiden Rajya Sabha Speech | Watch

In her maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, philanthropist and author Sudha Murty highlighted two key issues: advocating for a government-sponsored vaccination program to combat cervical cancer and promoting domestic tourism.

Here’s the highlight from Murty’s maiden speech in the Upper House of Parliament.

Call For Cervical Cancer Vaccination Drive

Murty, nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President Droupadi Murmu on the eve of International Women’s Day, emphasised the need for a government-sponsored vaccination program to prevent cervical cancer.

“There is a vaccination which is given to girls, between the age of nine to 14, known as a cervical vaccination. If the girls take that, it (cancer) can be avoided … we should promote vaccination for the benefit of our girls because prevention is better than cure,” Murty asserted in her address.

Quoting her father, she expressed, “When a mother dies, it is counted as one death in the hospital, but for the family, a mother is lost forever.”

Murty noted that the government successfully managed a large vaccination drive during Covid-19, suggesting that providing cervical vaccinations to girls aged 9-14 might not be difficult.

Promotion Of Domestic Tourism

Murty highlighted India’s potential by proposing that 57 domestic tourist sites be considered for World Heritage status. These include the Bahubali statue in Karnataka, Lingaraja Temple, Unakoti rock carvings in Tripura, Shivaji forts in Maharashtra, Chausath Yogini temple in Mitawali, Lothal in Gujarat, and Gol Gumbad, among others.

“In India, we have 42 World Heritage sites but 57 are pending … we should bother about those 57 sites,” Murty stressed.

She underscored the importance of preserving India’s cultural heritage, mentioning landmarks like the Srirangam temples and Mughal gardens in Kashmir.

Murty further emphasised the need for improved facilities such as toilets and roads to enhance tourist experiences and boost revenue.

“There are beautiful Mughal gardens in Kashmir. We always go and see the film shootings, but we never realise that they are not in the World Heritage Sites. The package should be done very well so that people can come and see them. The package should be conveniently done so that we should have good toilets and roads so that the tourists can come. It will increase our revenue in our own country,” she explained.

Drawing parallels, Murty linked the design of the old Parliament Building to ancient Indian architecture, specifically citing inspiration from the Chausath Yogini temple in Mitawali, Madhya Pradesh.

Additionally, Murty highlighted concerns about issues such as rising prices, unemployment, farmer suicides, and women’s plight, urging the central government to prioritise action on these critical matters.

(With inputs from PTI)